A really unique set of work by Miles Davis – and one that focuses on a really neglected chapter of his career! As you'd guess from the title, the CD brings together an assortment of recordings that Miles made backing up jazz singers – mostly in the early years of his career, at a time when he was still working as a sideman in a variety of settings. The first 4 tracks on the set are from a 1945 date with saxophonist Herbie Fields, on tracks backing singer Rubberlegs Williams – including "That's The Stuff You Gotta Watch", "Pointless Mama Blues", and "Deep Sea Blues". Next up are 4 more tracks with the legendary Billy Eckstine band of 1946 – featuring Miles with Mr B on tunes that include "Oo Bop Sh'bam", "In The Still Of The Night", "Jelly Jelly", and "I Love The Loveliness Of You". These are followed by 4 more from 1946 – featuring Miles in a small combo with Gene Ammons and Art Blakey – backing up singer Earl Coleman on the tracks "Don't Sing Me The Blues" and "Don't Explain To Me Baby", and Ann Baxter on "I've Always Got The Blues" and "Baby Won't You Make Up Your Mind". Last up are 8 tracks from a Sarah Vaughan session from 1950 – featuring classics that include "Mean To Me", "East Of The Sun", "Goodnight My Love", and "It Might As Well Be Spring". 20 tracks in all. CD

A really cooking little session from tenorist Mickey Fields – recorded live as one of the legendary Left Bank sessions in Baltimore! Mickey's got some great company on the date – including Groove Holmes on Hammond, plus George Freeman on guitar and Billy Jackson on drums – a lineup that is featured on most of the record, save for two numbers that change to include Calvin Vaughn on organ and Don Bowie on drums. The album features one very long jam session number titled "Left Bank Cook Out" – and long takes on "Straight No Chaser" and "Lover Man – plus cool takes on "Light My Fire" and "Little Green Apples". LP, Vinyl record album

Music from Anton Karas, Les Paul, Ralph Marterie, Jackie Gleason, Les Baxter, Billy Vaughn, Nelson Riddle, Roger Williams and more. CD

A firey batch of proto rock stormers –late 50s rockabilly, raucous hillbilly boogie, raging rock & roll and all around incendiary numbers – familiar compilation territory, but done beautifully here by Ace Records as an aural companion to Max Decharne's book of the same name! Decharne compiled the set and provides the notes – doing a great job of incorporating the most famously pivotal numbers by Elvis Presley, Carl Perkins, Johnny Burnette and Wanda Jackson with a ton of tunes that are just as great hepcats who aren't as well known by the mainstream, like The Rhythm Rockets, Don Cole, Roy Burk & The Bell Bottoms, Ric Cartney, Freddie Franks, Mel Robbins, Jackie Morningstar and more! 28 tracks in all: "How Can You Be Mean To Me" by Dale Vaughn, "Mystery Train" by Elvis, "Mean, Mean Man" by Wanda Jackson, "Jello Sal" by Benny Ingram, "Rock To The Boogie" by Roy Burk & The Bell Bottoms, "I Got A Rocket In My Pocket" by Jimmy Lloyd, "Everybody's Trying To Be My Baby" by Freddie Franks, "The Raging Sea" by Gene Maltais, "I Can't Find The Door Knob" by Jimmy & Johnny and many more. CD